Andrew Duff, Liberal Democrat MEP for the East of England, says that only a truly European solution will save Vauxhall at Luton. In a statement issued on Friday 29 May he says: “The German government has a duty to negotiate the sale of the whole of GM’s European plants, not just Germany’s Opel.”

“Skilled jobs at Luton can only be saved if Peter Mandelson, on behalf of the British government, plays an active part in the German-led negotiations. Beggar-thy-neighbour policies by Germany or the UK will scupper all of GM’s European operations.”

“The European automobile industry is in crisis, and needs the European Union to broker its salvage.”

Linda Jack, Luton’s local Lib Dem candidate for the European Parliament,

added: “Saving Vauxhall shows why the Lib Dem policy of playing a full part in the EU is absolutely right. Tory isolationism would have scuppered Vauxhall by now.”